As businesses anticipate returning to their offices this year, it’s time to start preparing for what a return to the office would look like. It’s clear that the way we look at the modern office is changing, and the designs need to keep up. These are some of the top commercial interior design trends for 2021.
A Homey Feel
Have you heard of resimercial design?
Resimercial design blends the comforts of residential design with the high-performance functionality of a commercial space. As employees transition back to the office, bringing the comforts of home to the office is crucial.
In resimercial design, the use of multifunctional furniture, zoned work and break areas, comfortable seating, and homey accent pieces like lamps and rugs help create dynamic areas that offer employees the freedom and flexibility to move around throughout the day.
Video Conferencing Stations
While resimercial design can help make the transition back to the office a little bit easier, many employees are going to want to continue this work from home trend, even if it’s just for a few days a week.
To account for this, offices need spaces for video conferencing where employees in the office can go to have calls with their team members who are working from home. These areas should have a strong internet connection, enough room for small teams to congregate, and an area for the team to write or project info that can be shared with people in the office and at home.
While virtual whiteboards are a tech-forward way to do this, a more cost-effective way to create a brainstorming area is by using whiteboard paint one of the walls. This provides space for the team to write ideas that everyone can see without the investment of new technology that needs to be installed.
Taking Advantage of Outdoor Spaces
If your office has access to an outdoor space, it’s worth investing in this year. Whether that means updating the furnishings outdoors, finally furnishing the empty space, or just encouraging employees to use it more, 2021 is the year to take advantage of it.
These outdoor spaces not only provide solace for employees who might still be anxious about being in an indoor shared space, but they can also improve concentration, increase creativity, and enhance problem-solving.
If you don’t have access to an outdoor area at your current office, there are still ways to bring the feeling of the outdoors in. Some ways to do this include:
- Adding more office plants throughout your space
- Building a living wall full of greenery
- Incorporating wallcoverings with a nature-inspired pattern
Safety as a Priority
It should come as no surprise that in 2021 safety is a big priority.
One of the most obvious ways that safety will be highlighted in the workplace is through the ongoing safety protocols from COVID-19, such as having additional spaces between desks, more frequent cleaning of the office, and adding dividers between workstations.
In addition to the more direct updates, there are additional ways that safety can be prioritized. This can be done by:
- Enhancing air filtration systems
- Using zero-VOC paints
- Updating amenities to be touchless (for example, motion sensor lights)
Update Your Space Before Employees Come Back to Work
If you’re looking to update your space with the top commercial interior design trends for 2021, the perfect time to do this is while employees are still primarily working from home. This helps reduce the number of people who need to be in the space at the same time, and provides your team an exciting, refreshed office to return to.
If you need help repainting your walls with zero-VOC paints, installing nature-inspired wallcoverings, or creating a high-performance whiteboard wall space, we can help. Contact us to learn more.